Update on Dan McKown

Brendan McKown, an assistant manager of the Excalibur Cutlery and Gifts store, was on his way to make a deposit at the time of the shooting at the Tacoma Mall on November 20. Of six people shot, McKown was the most seriously injured, sustaining injuries that have resulted in a bowel resection with a colostomy, and quite possibly paraplegia. Until now, Dan McKown has not spoken, having been in a medically induced coma.

When the shooting started, McKown, an armed CCW holder, said he didn't know who was firing at whom. Therefore, he made a snap decision not to stand up and fire back. McKown stated he briefly drew his gun on Tacoma Mall shooting suspect Dominick S. Maldonado, but he’s not sure Maldonado saw it. “I’m looking at this guy,” McKown said. “He’s a kid. I would have had to shoot him in the head.” So he yelled at the man to drop his weapon, an act that only succeeded in drawing fire. The deranged gunman turned and fired on McKown, striking him, he said, five or six times. The shots blew him back several feet, McKown stated.

"When I changed into another position, I see just the most surreal sight," McKown said from his bed at Tacoma General Hospital in a interview conducted by KOMO/4. "It's a young Arabic looking boy ... with a ball cap on and an AK in his hand," he said, referring to the weapon he thought the shooter was firing, a Kalashnikov rifle.

"So I said, 'Put down the weapon!' " continued McKown. "Obviously, he was faster on the draw than I was........It's a stupid statement, but I have a concealed weapons permit in case some idiot shoots up a mall," said McKown, who added that he likely would return to his job, and may also start doing stand-up comedy again.

McKown on Monday was upgraded to satisfactory condition, said Todd Kelley, a spokesman for Tacoma General. Kelley said McKown might be discharged in the next couple of days to a rehabilitation clinic. McKown said that in the end, he was thankful to be alive. "I'd be lying if I thought I was doing great," he said. "But I sure got off light, all things considered."

So what is there to be learned from Dan McKown's misfortune? Do not expect murderous criminals to obey commands you shout at them. Such a criminal is already disobeying the command of law and words alone will not stop them. If a CCW holder is going to engage such a threat with a handgun, they must maximize their chances by incorporating surprise, speed and accuracy. There is no shame or disgrace in using the ambush. This is life and death stuff, not a Tom Mix Western.

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